Golf shaft balancer



Aug. 18, 1936.r w. D. HART GOLF' SHFT BALANCER Filed June 4, 1934 l Wl Il? INVENTOI VVA LTE/2 D. HAQT BY'/i ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 18, 1936 UNITED STATE I if.. l

5 Claims.

My invention relates to golf clubs and is more particularly a balancing device whereby a golf club may be balanced to adjust the feel and list of the club. Y

Y In the type of club having a wooden shaft it is a'simple 'matter to change the balance of the club by -thinning the shaft at Ydesired points by the use of sand paper or similar material, but, in the modern golf club with a steel shaft, such procedure` cannot be followed,in view of the fact that the walls of the shaft are extremely thin and thinning down of the `walls would result in an undesirable weakness of the shaft. My invention in its broadest aspect embraces, first, a balancer or weight means placed within the hollow shaft in proper position within the shaft so-as to balance the shaft longitudinally and secondarily the feature of xing the hang or list of the head of the club in normal position.

While my invention is applicable to all hollow shaft golf clubs, I find it is particularly desirable for putters, as such clubs are substantially stiff as compared to the other clubs of a set, and after 'the purchase of a putter the golfer has no way Ain which he can change the feel of the club to meet his individual preference. Further with respect to the use of my invention, and particularly with reference to putters, the importance of being able to 'change the feel of the club in the hands of the player becomes evident in view of the fact that the use of the putter is greatly in excess of any other club in the set.

Referring to the drawing which is for illus'- trative purposes only,A

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a golf club partly in section showing one form of my invention mounted therein.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the upper end of a golf club having another form of my invention mounted therein.

Fig. 4 is a sectional View on line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a. sectional view of a portion of a golf shaft showing another form of my invention mounted therein.

Fig. 6 is a sectional View of a portion of a golf shaft showing another form of my invention mounted therein.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on line l-l of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of a part of a golf shaft showing another form of my invention mounted therein; and

Fig. 9 is a sectional view on line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, in

Fig. 1, I l designates a golf club shaft having a head I 2 secured thereto by means of a rivet shown indotted lines at I3. The'upper end of the shaft as shown in Fig. 1 is cylindrical in form as compared with the tapered lower end of the shaft, 5 except that such portion in the form shown is flattened on one side as shown at I6 to engage a co-acting flat face I'I on a weight member I8, slidably mounted in the shaft.

The weight member l is lmoved into desired l0 position in the shaft by means of a threaded stem I9 mounted to freely rotate in a plug 2B fitted into the fared upper end of the shaft, a knurled head 2l being secured in any suitable manner to the upper end of the stern above the plug 29. A 15 screw cap 22 is provided` to inclose the head 2|, such screw cap being threaded on a band 23 secured around the upper end of the shaft. 24 designates a wrapping which forms the grip portion of the club; 25 designates a plug fitted into 20 the upper end of the tapered portion of the shaft in such a position as to prevent downward movement of the weight member beyond the lower end of the threaded stem.

In assembling a club as shown in Fig. 1, the 25 shaft is extended into the upper end of the head and the club loosely held by its upper end. Should the head of the club list to either right or left due to unequal distribution of weight in head or shaft the shaft is turned in the head 30 and, due to the fact that one side of the shaft is flat, the club may be radially balanced with Vthe face of the head in normal position. After this operation the shaft is drilled and the'pin I3 inserted to secure the shaft to the head. Y 35 It will be readily apparent from the above description that the weight member IB may be moved longitudinally so that the feel may be varied to meet the want of the individual using the club.

In the form of my invention shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the shaft II is tapered throughout its length. 3@ designates a tapered plug which is driven into the shaft until it is firmly seated in the shaft. 3l designates a stem having its 45 lower end threaded into the plug 30. Mounted on the stem 3l are upper and lower yieldable washers 32 and 33 which engage the inner walls of the shaft for the purpose of preventing chattering of the device in the shaft. Mounted on 50 the shaft between the washers 32 and 33 is a weight member 34 having a spirally extending at surface 35, the weight member 34 being secured in desired radial position on the stem 3| by means of a set screw 36. The weight member 55 and washers above described may be moved to different positions longitudinally of the shaft and secured in a desired position by means of collars 31 secured to the stem by means of set screws 38.

In this form of my invention it will be recognized that the weight member may be adjusted to its proper radial position by means of a head on the upper end of the stem 3|. 4I designates a cap tted over the upper end of the shaft to close the opening therein.

In the form of vmy invention shown in Fig. 5 the weight member 42 is threaded at its lower end into a tapered plug 43, the upper end of .thel weight member being in threaded engagement with an upper tapered plug 44 which .is provided with a slot 45 to receive a screw driver by means of which the weight member may be turned and threaded into the lower plug 43. After the weight member is threaded into the plug 43 a continued turning movement may be accomplished to give the club the right balance before the plug 43 is driven into -xed place in the shaft. This device may be removed from the'club by unthreading the weight member from the lower plug and the insertion of a proper tool in the threaded lower plug. 'I'he upper plug 44 is lalso provided with a similar slotl indicated at 46.

In the form of my invention shown in Figs. 6 and "I, the weight member consists of a wooden tapered plug having a metallic strip 5I set into the plug and extending spirally, longitudi- -nally of .the plug. The plug is provided with a slot indicated at 52 by means of which the plug may be turned in the shaft and when in a desired position it is understood that the plug ,is forced linto a xed position in the shaft.

In the form of my invention shown in Figs. 8 `and 9, the weight member consists of a tapered .plug*55, preferably formed of metal and having .farseries of flatfaces in one side thereof indicated at 56, such faces being separated by means of ribs 51. In this form of plug the -plug may be turned to desired position by inserting a screw fd-river in a slot 58 in the top of the plug and -when in proper position the plug driven into tight engagement with the shaft in any suitable mankmer.- In this form of plug the desired weight can "bejplaced in the plug by cutting off the plug at any one of the slots 56.

In all forms of my :invention except thatshown fin Figs. l to 2 it is to be understood that the plug or weight member 4may be rotated to bring fthe .clubihead .at proper list and that with respect to the forms :shown in Figs. l to 4 the weight member may be moved longitudinally to vary the feel of the club and that with respect to the forms shown in Figs. 5 to 9 the position of the weight member longitudinally in the club is governed by the diameter of the plugs used it being understood that plugs of different diameters are furnished for such purpose. In the forms of weight members shown in Figs. 3 to 9 inclusive the weight members are unbalanced due to the unequal distribution of weight material in the members, and due to such characteristics by turning such weight members in the shaft the -radial distribution of weight may be governed to compensate for unequal distribution of weight in the club. Y

I claim as my invention:

1. In'com'bination with a golf club having a hollow tapered shaft: a tapered plug fitted into said hollow shaft; and an elongated weightmember threaded into the top of said plug.

- 2. In `combination with -agolf club-having a ,hollow tapered shaft: a tapered plug fitted into said hollow shaft; and an elongated weightgmember threaded into the top of said -jplug, `said weight member being .formed `so that 4its-mass is unsymmetrically distributed with respect .toits axis for a substantial portion of, its length.-

3. In combinationwith a ,golfV club .having .a hollow tapered shaft; a tapered plug fitted into said hollow shaft; anelongated stem member 30 threaded into the top of said plug; anda tapered cap threaded onto the top vof said stem-andengaging the interior of Vsaid shaft.

4. In combination with av golf club :having a hollow tapered shaft: a tapered plug fitted finto' Vsaid hollow shaft; an -elongated stem member threaded into the top of said plug; and a tapered cap threaded onto the top .of .said stem and engaging'the interior of said shaft, saidstemmember being formed so lthat its mass is unsymmetrically distributedwith respect -.to its `axis throughout a substantial portion of its length.

5. In combination `with a golf club havingna hollow tapered shaft:l a tapered plug fitted into ysaid hollow shaft; an elongated stem `member threaded into the topof said plug; Aandv ar-tapered cap threaded onto the top of said stem andengaging the interior of said shaft, said stem fmem ber being formed so that its'mass is unsymmetricallydistributed with respect to its axis throughout a substantial portion of its length, the top of said cap and said stem .member .each being `notched for thereception of an adjusting tool.

WALTER D. HART. 

